MLB Trade Scenarios: 5 Useful Relievers Likely to Move to Contenders

It always seems as if the winter drags by and then we wait for what seems like an eternity for the baseball season to start in April. Now, baseball season is upon us and time is flying by as it’s almost the end of May already.

That means it’s time to start thinking about possible trading scenarios, especially with the focus on bullpen help because each team, regardless of what they think, or who they have in their late relief, could use a strong member out of the pen.

There have been some surprises this season out of the pen, and even though it is getting later in the season, there are some relievers with very impressive stats.

I have put together a list of five of the most useful relievers, some might be less well-known than others, but all have put together strong starts to their 2012 season. Check it out and let me know what you think!

1. RHP Ryan Cook, Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics may have stumbled upon a great athlete in reliever Ryan Cook. The former Diamondback is putting together a very impressive season for the second-place A’s.

Before being acquired by the A’s in the offseason, Cook spent his first season in the majors with Arizona last season. Over his 12 outings, he tossed just 7.2 innings of work, allowed six earned runs on 11 base hits, eight walks and just seven strikeouts.

This season has been a complete turn-around for Cook and he does not look like the same pitcher. I’m sure the Athletics knew they were receiving a major league-caliber reliever, but they did not realize his potential out there on the mound.

Cook is currently 1-0 with a zero ERA over his first 20 outings. That’s right. He has yet to allow an earned run and it is almost the end of May!

He has tossed 22.2 innings of work, surrendered just four base hits, issued 12 free passes and recorded 21 punch outs. Obviously, there is something special about this young kid, and the Athletics have great options with him out of their pen.

First of all, they could easily trade him as he will be a hot commodity come July if he continues to keep up his tremendous work out there on the hill. The Athletics are in second place in their division; however, they still sit one game under the .500 mark at 22-23.

Oakland will definitely be a on the lookout for a team in need of a strong reliever; they could really use a power bat in the middle of their lineup.

2. RHP Brad Lincoln, Pittsburgh Pirates

Although the Pirates sit four games under the .500 mark and are in the middle of the pack in the National League Central, they feature very impressive and strong arms out of their pen.

RHP reliever Brad Lincoln has been one of those hurlers for the tough-luck Pirates this season. In his 11 games on the year, he is 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA; he has allowed three earned runs over his 23 innings of work, he surrendered 15 base hits, walked just seven and struck out 24.

Lincoln debuted for the Pirates in 2010; however, he struggled over his first two, shortened seasons in Pittsburgh. He has been mainly used as a starting pitcher up until this season when he has made all but one appearance out of the pen.

In his first season at the major league level, in 11 games, he finished with a 1-4 record and an inflated 6.66 ERA; he surrendered 39 earned runs on 66 base hits in just 55.2 innings of work as he made nine starts.

He followed up his first season with a stronger sophomore year; he earned a 2-3 record with a 4.72 ERA after allowing 25 earned runs on 54 base hits over 47.2 innings of work including eight starts.

Lincoln has been a different pitcher out of the bullpen for the Pirates as he has only made one start this season, and 10 relief appearances. Currently, he is the second-top reliever on the club.

He has made himself an expendable asset if he continues to pitch well heading into the trade deadline in July; teams always need relievers, and the Pirates could use a power hitter to add some pop to their struggling offense, or even a somewhat established starting pitcher.

3. RHP Houston Street, San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres are the second-worst team in all of the MLB as they sport a 16-29 record and they occupy the cellar in the NL West. Even though they are struggling to stay afloat this season, they still feature one of the most dominant relievers in the game right now.

Houston Street, who used to pitch with the Athletics when he first made his debut in the majors, and then was traded to the playoff-bound Colorado Rockies in 2009, is putting together his best season of his career.

Street has yet to pick up a decision, but over his 10 outings, he has tossed 9.2 innings, allowed just one earned run on three base hits, including two walks and 13 strikeouts. Not to mention, he is a perfect 4-for-4 in save opportunities this season.

He debuted for the Athletics in 2005 and posted impressive numbers as he was named the Rookie of the Year in the American League; he went 5-1 and pitched to a 1.72 ERA and he picked up 23 of 27 save chances as a rookie.

Throughout his time in Oakland, he never finished a season with an ERA higher than 3.73, and that happened in his last season with the team in ’08 before being shipped to the mile high city.

In three seasons with the Rockies, he compiled a 9-9 record with a 3.50 ERA after he tossed 167.1 innings of work and he allowed 65 earned runs on 144 base hits. His ERA with the A’s in four seasons sat at 2.88, so the cool air in Colorado might have played a role in his higher ERA in Colorado.

The Padres are struggling and will not be making a run at the division this season unless they quickly turn their season around. I think Street would be a great trade commodity come July and he would definitely be worth a big-time slugger or an experienced starting pitcher.

4. RHP Juan Cruz, Pittsburgh Pirates

Here we go back to the Pirates bullpen and in this case, RHP Juan Cruz. So far, he has pitched the best for Pittsburgh out of the pen and even though he is getting up there in age, he has a couple of strong seasons left in him.

The journeyman is 1-1 with a 1.08 ERA in 18 relief appearances this season; he has allowed just two earned runs in 16.2 innings of work, including eight walks and 15 strikeouts. Not to mention, he has picked up three saves in just as many opportunities.

Pittsburgh is Cruz’s seventh different team in his 11^th season in the major leagues.

Cruz broke into the majors in 2001 with the Chicago Cubs and spent three seasons in the windy city. He earned an 8-19 record and a 4.43 ERA in 78 appearances, 23 starts, in his first three years.

His best season came back in 2004 in his first and only season with the Atlanta Braves; he pitched to a 6-2 record with an impressive 2.75 ERA. He worked 72 innings in 50 relief appearances and allowed 22 earned runs on just 59 base hits.

Last year, he spent one season in Tampa and pitched very well for the Rays; he finished undefeated with a 5-0 record and a 3.88 ERA as he allowed 21 earned runs over his 48.2 innings of work in 56 relief appearances.

If he is able to sustain his strong start and continue to post impressive numbers out of the Pirates’ pen, he will be a hot trade option for teams in the market for relievers this July.

5. RHP Brandon Lyon, Houston Astros

Brandon Lyon is another relief pitcher who has been around the league for a while and has experience pitching at the major league level. He has pitched for five different teams over his 11 seasons in the majors.

In his third season with the Houston Astros, Lyon is making a bid for a home in the pen as he continues to post impressive numbers making it hard for them to think about trading him away.

Over his 17 relief appearances, he sports a 0-1 record with a miniscule 1.65 ERA as he has allowed just three earned runs in 16.1 innings of work including just two free passes and 16 strikeouts.

Lyon debuted for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2001 and began his career as a starting pitcher. In 11 starts in ’01, he went 5-4 with a 4.29 ERA after he surrendered 30 earned runs in 63 innings of work.

He spent another season with the Jays the next year and pitched out of the rotation again; he earned a 1-4 record and a 6.53 ERA as he surrendered 45 earned runs in just 62 innings pitched. After he left Toronto at the end of the ’02 season, he was converted to a reliever and has not made a start since then.

His best season came back in 2007 when he finished with a 6-4 record and a staggering 2.68 ERA in 73 relief appearances with the Diamondbacks.

He has spent the last three seasons with the Astros; however, he was injured last year and only made 15 appearances throughout the season. If he continues to dominate and pitch well for an under-performing and struggling team, he will be on the chopping block come July because he can be traded for experience as a starting pitcher or a strong, middle of the order bat to complement/replace Carlos Lee.

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